1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera which selects a focus detection region while performing visual line detection, and more particularly to a camera which inhibits visual line detection and automatic focus adjustment when these operations are unnecessary.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cameras are known which have a visual line detection device to determine the visual line of a photographer. For example, a camera is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1-274736 ("JP-A-1-274736") in which the visual line of a photographer is detected while observing a viewfinder picture plane through an eyepiece lens. After the visual line of the photographer has been determined, a focus detection region in the photographic field may be selected based upon the result of the visual line detection. Focus adjustment of a photographic lens is then performed in order to focus the lens on the subject in the selected focus detection region. Further, by weighting the photometric results in the selected focus detection region, photographic values (e.g., stop and shutter speed) are determined. Accordingly, a camera having the type of visual line detection device described above will automatically focus on a subject being scrutinized in the viewfinder picture plane, among plural subjects in the picture plane, and photography of the subject with appropriate exposure occurs.
The above-described type of visual line detection device is very useful in simplifying the operation of the camera. However, there are times when focus adjustment is performed without using the results of visual line detection. At these times, if visual line detection and focus adjustment based upon the visual line detection are performed, not only is electrical supply current wastefully consumed, but also the focus may not even be on the desired subject. For this reason, when focus adjustment occurs without using the results of visual line detection, it is desirable that the visual line detection action and the focus adjustment action based on the visual line detection be inhibited when these operations are not necessary.
A camera is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 4-267230 ("JP-A-4-267230") which discloses inhibiting visual line detection when a manual focus operation occurs. However, there are many other situations in which focus adjustment is performed without using the results of the visual line detection.